Handle connection for a mop



R. C. BECK HANDLE CONNECTION FOR A MOP Aug. 11, 1959 Filed Dec. 17, 1956FIG.1

FIG.3 FIGJI' FIG.6

FIG.2

INVENTOR. RA VMOND c. BECK H w MMQM 4 A TTOPNEVS United States PatentHANDLE CONNECTION FOR A MOP Raymond C. Beck, East Windsor, Conn.,.assignor to- The Fuller Brush Company, Hartford, Conn, a corporationofConnecticut Application December 17, 1956,Serial No. 628,729

2 Claims. (Cl. 15 -144) The invention relates to a mop, moreparticularly a dry mop, wherein a mop unit is piyotalll y connected witha handle, such as a tubular handle. Stated more specifically, theinvention relates to a map which may be of the type disclosed in theBarr Patent No. 2,725,586. dated December 6, 1955- The general object.of the invention is to provide a mop, more particularly a mop of thetype disclosed in said patent, having. a simple. and inexpensiveone-piece connector between the mop handle and the pivotal portion ofthe mop unit, said connector permitting relative pivotal movement of themop unit about the axis of its said pivotal portion but positivelypreventing any relative movement of said pivotal portion eitherlongitudinally of the handle or about the axis thereof.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a mop having aconnector as described which is further adapted for ready disengagementto permit disassembly.

The drawing shows in detail a preferred embodiment of the invention, butit will be understood that various changes may be made from theconstruction shown, and that the drawing is not to be construed asdefining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claims forming apart of this specification being relied upon for that purpose.

Of the drawing:

Fig. l is a perspective view ofa mop embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged combined sectional and side view showing certainparts of the mop.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the parts in partlyassembled relationship.

Fig. 5 is a side view of the connector separate from the other parts ofthe mop.

Fig. 6 is a bottom view of the connector as shown. in Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawing, a mop embodying the invention comprises threemajor parts which are: a mop unit 10, a handle 12, and a connector 14between said mop unit and said handle.

The mop unit 1!} may be widely varied as to details, but as shown itincludes a frame which comprises two wires 16, 16 twisted upon eachother with strands 18, 18 of yarn between them. The pairs of twistedwires have two normally horizontal portions 16 16 which are parallelwith each other but which are transversely offset by means of atransverse pivotal portion 16 The yarn strands 18, 18 are omitted atsaid pivot portion.

The handle 12 is ordinarily formed of metal and is tubular and open atthe bottom. It may be provided with a Wire loop 20 by which the entiremop may be suspended. Preferably and for a reason to be set forth, thehandle 12 has a hole- 22 at one side thereof near the bottom.

The connector 14 is formed of one piece of metal and it is U-shaped inlongitudinal section and it has simitaken along ice lar transverselyspaced upright prongs 24, 24 with a unitary bearing. socket 26 betweenthem at the bottom. The prongs 24, 24 are adapted to enter and fit thelower portion of the tubular handle 12 and the socket 26 is adapted toreceive the transverse pivotal portion 16 of the mop unit frame. A slot28 is provided between the prongs 24, 24 so that the connector can bereadily engaged with the frame at said pivotal portion 16 thereof.

The connector 14 is preferably resilient and the prongs 24, 24 thereofare preferably biased for movement. of their upper ends outwardly torelative positions, as shown in Fig. 5, which are so spaced as toprevent entry of said prongs in the handle. In the relativepositionsshown, the outer faces of the prongs diverge. Preferably theouter faces of said prongs, when moved into parallel relationship,conform to portions. of a common! cylinder having the same diameter asthe interior of the handle 12. The socket 26 of the connector is shapedto provide semi-cylindrical walls 30,, 30 which are concentric with atransverse axis and which have a radius substantially less than theradius of said common cylin-- der. The radius of said walls 30, 30 issuch. as to en'- able them to receive and approximately fit the pivot.

portion 16 of the mop unit frame.

The prongs of the connector, if initially diverging. asshown, can bepressed toward each other to permit them to be entered in the lowerportion of the handle. When said prongs are biased for movement awayfrom each other, a means is provided which is dependent upon the outwardbias and which serves to hold the connec tor in a fixed position withrespect to the handle. Preferably the last said means is a button 32 onthe exterior of one prong of the connector and adapted to enter saidhole 22 in the wall of the tubular handle.

In the assembly of the mop, the connector 14 is engaged with the pivotportion 16 of the frame as shown in Fig. 4, said pivot portion beingentered in said socket 26. When the connector is resilient and when theprongs 24, 24 thereof initially diverge, said prongs are pressed towardeach other to permit entry thereof in the handle. When a button such as32 is provided, said prongs are further pressed toward each other toenable the button to also enter the handle. When entry has beeneffected, the connector and the mop unit are moved relatively upwardlyuntil the button 32 snaps into the hole 22. The button then retains allof the parts in assembled relationship.

It will be observed that, in the assembled relationship, the lower endof the handle is closely adjacent the pivotal portion 16 of the frame.Thus the socket of the connector and the lower end of the handlecooperate to retain said pivotal portion of the frame and to permitpivotal movement of said mop unit relatively to said handle.

When the connector 14 is constructed in the manner preferred, the mopcan be readily disassembled for the replacement of a worn or soiled mopunit by a new mop unit.

When the mop is fully assembled as shown in Fig. l, the connector 14positively retains the pivotal portion 16 of the mop unit in fixedrelationship with the handle 12 and said connector permits relativepivotal movement of said mop unit as previously described. In the use ofa mop of the type disclosed in said. Barr patent, a turning movement ofthe entire mop unit is effected by a partial rotative movement of thehandle about its own axis. It is therefore necessary to provide means,such as the button 32, for positively connecting the mop handle withsaid pivotal portion of the mop unit to insure rotative movement of saidmop unit in accordance with rotative movement of the handle.

The invention claimed is:

l. The combination in a mop, of a mop unit including a frame having apivotal portion, a tubular handle open at its lower end and having ahole therein near its lower end, a one-piece U-shaped connector havingtwo similar transversely spaced prongs with a unitary bearing socketbetween them at the bottom, said prongs of the connector being resilientand being outwardly biased for movement of their upper ends to relativepositions so spaced as to prevent entry of said prongs in said handlebut said prongs having been relatively moved in opposition to the biasso that they enter and fit the lower portion of the tubular handle andsaid socket between the prongs receiving and approximately fitting saidpivotal portion of the mop frame to provide a bearing for the relativepivotal movement of said mop unit about a transverse axis, a button onthe exterior of one of said prongs entered in the hole in said handle asa result of said bias and positively preventing relative movement ofsaid connector either longitudinally of said handle or rotatively aboutthe axis thereof.

2. The combination in a mop, of a mop unit including a frame having apivotal portion, a tubular handle open at its lower end and having ahole therein near its lower end and having the entire inner face of itslower portion smooth and cylindrical, a one-piece U- shaped connectorhaving two similar transversely spaced prongs having between them and atthe bottom a unitary bearing socket for receiving and approximatelyfitting said pivotal portion of the mop frame to provide a bearing forthe relative pivotal movement of said mop unit about a transverse axis,said prongs of the connector having opposite smooth partly cylindricalouter faces and being resilient and being outwardly biased for movementof their upper ends to relative positions so spaced as to prevent entryof said prongs in said handle but said prongs having been relativelymoved in opposition to the bias so that they enter the lower portion ofthe tubular handle with the partly cylindrical outer faces thereofengaging and closely fitting said smooth inner face of the handle, and abutton on the exterior of one of said prongs entered in the hole in saidhandle as a result of said bias and positively preventing relativemovement of said connector either longitudinally of said handle orrotatively about the axis thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,236,678 Crawford Aug. 14, 1917 1,508,995 Silver Sept. 16, 19241,786,037 Sturgis Dec. 23, 1930 1,832,536 Dunn Nov. 17, 1931 1,907,284West May 2, 1933 2,116,375 Aubitz May 3, 1938 2,581,141 Raptis Ian. 1,1952 2,736,915 Le Febvre et a1. Mar. 6, 1956 2,797,968 Le Febvre et a1.July 2, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 161,396 Great Britain Apr. 14, 1921

